Universal angle drive



April 19, 1949. M. P. WINTHER UNIVERSAL ANGLE-DRIVE Original Filed Nov.14, 1946 FIG. I.

FIG2.

Reissued Apr. 19, 1949 UNIVERSAL ANGLE DRIVE Martin P. Winther, GatesMills, Ohio, assignor to Martin P. Winther, Waukegan, Ill., trusteeriginal No. 2,454,111, dated November 16, 1948,

Serial No. 709,837, November 14, 1946. Application for reissue February11, 1949, Serial No.

4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to a universal angle drive, and with regard tocertain more specific features, to a drive of this class having aconstant angular velocity ratio at all drive angles.

Among the several obj ects of the invention may be noted the provisionof a drive or coupling for connecting driving and driven elements at anyof various angles; the provision of a drive of the class described whichprovides an adjustable shock-proof electric slip coupling between thedriving and driven elements; the provision of a drive of the classdescribed in which constant angular velocity ratio between the drivingand driven elements may be obtained at any of the angles Within itsrange and under all slip speeds; and the provision of a drive of thisclass which is simple and economical to construct for a long life withlittle wear under adverse operating conditions. Other objects will be inpart apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of A which will be indicated in the following claims.

of universal drives or couplings, some of which l do not provide aconstant angular velocity ratio between the driving and the drivenmembers, and some of which do. An example of the former is the so-calledHooke or Cardan universal joint.

- An example of the latter is', for example, the socalled Weisscoupling. There are others in each category, but they all have thecommon disadvantage that either the constant angular velocity ratio isnot obtained or complex means must be kused to obtain it, if sufficientstrength is to inw here. None of them which have any reasonable shaftangle adjustment are sufiiciently shockproof, and even those that areshock-proof employ resilient members that tear or lose theirlresiliency. Furthermore, none of them provides .integral fins 39 and4I.

, axis of shaft 3. yconstitute protuberances of lunate form. The

for any so-called slip-coupling effect whereby the desired velocityratio may be adjusted to provide a range of selective speeds of thedriven member. That is to say, none of them provides for aselectivespeed reduction through the coupling with a constant angular velocityratio at any selected reduction.

The present invention provides not only -a strong and simple universalcoupling Whichy is effective over la wide'range of angles between thedriving and driven elements, but provides an adjustable slip-couplingspeed-reducing action with the facility to maintain a constant angularvelocity ratio at any selected speed reduction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a driveshaft at numeral I and a driven shaft at numeral 3. The drive shaft I iscarried upon bearings 5 in a pedestal 'I. The driven shaft 3 is carriedin bearings 9 in a. pedestal II.

Keyed to the right-hand end of the shaft I is a spider I3 which isrotary with the shaft I. This spider includes suitable Ventilatingopenings I5 and iins I1 for inducing air circulation through theopenings. A continuous rim of the/spider is shown at I9. Bolted to therim `I9 (see bolts 2|),

is a rim 23 of a female magnetic inductor member indicated generally bynumeral 25. This inductor member is magnetic and conductive, beingcomposed, for example, of magnetic iron or steel,

in which eddy currents may flow. It is made in two halves 2'I and 29which are bolted togetherat a grooved joint 3l. The two halves holdbetween them in the grooves an annular excitation coil 33. The innersurfaces of the members 21 and 29 are concentrically spherically formed,as indicated at numerals 35 and 3l, the formative sphere having a centerat O, the two spherical surfaces 35 and 3'I having a common radius R1.The two surfaces 35 and 3'I may be considered to constitute an interiorsubstantially uninterrupted female spherical inductive surface of themember 25. Behind these surfaces 35 and 3'I are formed The fins 39 beingalso integral with the attachment ring 23 serve with said ring 23 toorganize the spherical inductor 25 upon the rotary spider I3. Openingsat 24 accommodate outward air flow.

Keyed to the driven shaft 3 is a second spider 43, which hasaspherically formed rim 45 upon which are located arcuate teeth 41. Thearcs of the respective teeth preferably extend along great circles ofthe sphere in planes which include the They may therefore be said to rim45 and teeth 41 are also magnetic. The teeth 41, in cross section, areof tapered form, as shown in Fig. 2, and as shown in Fig. 1 have radiiof curvatures of their outer edges as indicated at Rz. This radius R2 isshorter than the radius R4 by the amount indicated at G, whichrepresents an air gap `between the curved ends of the teeth and theinner inductor surfaces 35 and 31. This gap is constant throughout itsentire area by reason of the fact that the center of radius R2 iscoincident at O with the center of radius R1 (see Fig. 1). Theorganization 43, 45, 41 may be referred to as aspherical male member.

If the annular field coil .3.3 is .energized with current (preferablydirect current) there will be generated a toric flux field, the crosssection `of which is generally indicated by dash lines F around coil 33in Fig. 1. This torio flux field interlinks the magnetic material of theinductor 35 the magnetic material of the sphere 45 .cth interruptionsAl.. The teeth .4l notion en @lnx-.concentrating poles which rete areas.of ilnx. These .concentrated :11u-ri areas .intersect the sphericalinner inductive of the inem-loer vl5.. The result will .be that underany relative movements between .the members ,2,5 and 4.5 the fluxconcentrations will move relatively to .the inner spherical inductorsnr- .foces 3.5 and .31, thereby inducing eddy .currents therein whichproduce a magnetic lield which is reactive to .the magnetic .fieldsissuing from the teeth 4l.- Slip coupling `lbetween.the members 25 and43. This accomplishes .the v.rotative .coupling between the angledshe-its -rI vand 3..

`.Gutter-1t for exciting the annular .coil 3.3 iS lbrought onto theinductor 25 by means .of Suitnable .brushes ..49 contacting withinsulated slip rings shown at 48. These are in an exciting circuit iris..3) including e source .oi .current i and orneostot or equivalentcontrol 5.3 .for `control..ling the excitation of .coil .3.3. The .wiresfor connectins th ASlip .rings 4.8 with .the feoil 33 are Showndiosrenimotically et .5.5.

loris. l the pedestals. .lend Il ere shown posif tioned to yhold .theshafts .l .end13 d predetermined angle between them, having its .apex etO- It will loe understood that the members upon which the pedestals. 1and .ll .are located maybe angled relatively to provide .any .otherangle of f drive within the range of the device., including zero ongle.The maximum angle A is substantial and 'in the present embodiment is ofthe order of 1D"- .AS shown .in Fig. 1, bolts 2 .are used for holdingthe pedestels on a support 4.,. The bolts 2 associated with pedestal .llcooperate with arouateslots l the frame 4. Slots are centered point Q-Hence the ,angle A may be readily adjusted. .It will .be understood thatthe chosen ansie .need .lie in the plane of. the peper eS shownl butthat it may be 'in any plane. In other words, .the spherical spacing of.the members .2.5 and 43 thro. the spherical .air 'sep will accommodateindelinite number of angles in plane between the shafts l and 3.

Operation 'is follows.:

When the coil 33 is energized, the torio flux ileld F .interlinke theinductive Surfaces 35, 31 .and the teeth 4l, Then upon rotating thedrive shalt. l, the driven shaft 3 will be driven by electromagneticreaction with e certain amount of angular slip.1 depending upon theexcitation of :the con slip is smell et fini excitation d may beincreased desired by reducing the .'-ezrcitation However, regardless ofthe amount ,Ihese reactive fields cause an electric 'gap G and throughthe openings l5 and 24.

It lwill be observed that the maximum angle A at which the drive willoperate is conditioned in part by the inner `form of the spider I3 whichin the present example is arranged with a cone las .Shown at 5,9. Thisform makes a compact design because it allows of placing the inner endof shaft l close to center O. It will of course be observed that if itis not desired to place the shaft I in c lose to the spherical members,this conical form may be dispensed with.

It is to be observed that the following changes in .relationships would.constitute mere mechani- .cal and electrical inversions vunder theprinciples described in this disclosure.:

The shaft 3 .may be made the drive shaft and the Vshaft I the drivenshaft. The relatively uninterrupted or smooth .spherical inductorsurface maybe on the inner spherical male member and the toothed polarmember may be the outer female member with teeth extending inwardly.Also, the annular field ,coil 33 may b-e carried in a mid plane eitheron the outer female member as shown, or upon the inner male member,regard-less of whether the respective member plays the role of polarmember, or inductor.

It is also to be observed that although `only one coil 33 is shown,several might be -used if desired.

Since there is no rigid mechanical connection between the members 25 andd3, but only resilient magnetic connection, no shock is transmitted.Furthermore, since the only connection is at gap G, there is no wear dueto the universal coupling elements per se, regardless of the anglebetween the driving and the driven. shafts. No lubrication is requiredat the dri-ving surfaces per se, and the action is very quiet. Inmechanical universal couplings the wear and noise increases severelywith increase in angle between shafts. The present invention avoids thistrouble.

t will be rnoted from Fig. l that the spherical extents of the sphericalforms of the inductor Vsurfaces 35, 31 and of the teeth d1 in thedirections of their meridians are such that the complete interlinkage ofthe toric fluxA field F. is substantially constant under any adjustmentsof the driving and driven axes. This results in maintaining the maximumpossible torque transmission at a given adjusted shaft angle.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

l. A constant velocity-ratio universal coupling for effecting asubstantially angled .mechanical drive comprising male and femaledriving and driven members rotary on angled axes Vhavinglan intersectingpoint, Vone of said .members 'having flux-concentrating polar membersthe outer peripheries of which are defined spherically with a centersubstantially at said point, the other member having an adjacentrelatively uninterrupted inductor surface also defined spherically witha center substantially at said point, the resulting spherically definedpolar peripheries of the fluxconcentrating polar members and saidspherically defined inductor surface being spaced by means of a constantspherical air gap irrespective of the angle of said laxes, and at leastone annular excitation coil carried on one of said members in a planesubstantially perpendicular to its axes of rotation and generating atoric iiux eld interlinking both of said members and passing throughsaid polar members Iand through said inductor surface, the inductorsurface and the polar members being magnetic.

2. A constant velocity-ratio universal coupling for effecting asubstantially angled mechanical drive comprising male and female drivingand driven members rotary on angled axes having an intersecting point,one of said members having flux-concentrating polar members the outerperipheries of Which are defined spherically with a center substantiallyat said point, the other member having an adjacent relativelyuninterrupted inductor surface Ialso defined spherically with a centersubstantially at said point, the resulting spherically defined polarperipheries of the fluxconcentrating polar members and said sphericallydefined inductor surface being spaced by means of a constant sphericalair gap irrespective of the angle of said axes, and at least one annularexcitation coil carried on one of said members in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to its axes of rotation and generating a toric flux fieldinterlinking both of said members and passing through said polar membersand through said inductor surface, the inductor surface and the polarmembers being magnetic, and means for substantially adjustablymaintaining said axes for intersection at said point, the sphericalextents of said inductor surface and of said polar members in thedirections of their meridians being such that interlinking of the toricflux field with both of said members is substantially uninterrupted overthe available range of angular adjustments of said axes.

3. A constant velocity-ratio universal coupling for effecting asubstantially angled mechanical drive comprising male and female drivingand driven members rotary on angled axes having an intersecting point,one of said members having flux-concentrating polar members the outerperlpheries of which are defined spherically with a center substantiallyat said point, the other member having an adjacent relativelyuninterrupted inductor surface also defined spherically with a centersubstantially at said point, the resulting spherically defined polarperipheries of the fluxconcentrating polar members and said sphericallydefined inductor surface being spaced by means of a constant sphericalair gap irrespective of the angle of said axes, at least one annularexcitation coil carried on one of said members in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to its axes of rotation and generating a toric fiuX fieldinterlinking both of said members and passing through said polar membersand through said inductor surface, the inductor surface and the polarmembers being magnetic, and means for variably exciting said field coil.

4. A constant velocity-ratio universal coupling for effecting asubstantially angled mechanical drive comprising male and female drivingand driven members rotary on angled axes having an intersecting point,one of said members having flux-concentrating polar members the outerperipheries of which are defined spherically with a center substantiallyat said point, the other member having an adjacent relativelyuninterrupted inductor surface also defined spherically With a centersubstantially at said point, the resulting spherically defined polarperipheries of the fluxconcentrating polar members and said sphericallydefined inductor surface being spaced by means of a constant sphericalair gap irrespective of the angle of said axes, at least one annularexcitation coil carried on one of said members in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to its axes of rotation and generating a torio flux fieldinterlinking both of said members and passing through said polar membersand through said inductor surface, the inductor surface and the polarmembers being magnetic, means for variably exciting said field coil, andmeans for adjustably maintaining said axes for intersection at saidpoint, the spherical extents of said inductor surface of said polarmembers in the directions of their meridians being such thatinterlinking of the toric flux field with both of said members issubstantially uninterrupted over the available range of adjustments ofsaid axes.

MARTIN P. WINTHER.

No references cited.

